SEEN and HEARD'
arounc/ the \<s
NATIONAL CAPITAL!
By Carter Field ^
FAMOUS WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT J
Washington—Tightening of one of
the very few New Deal laws aimed
f at federal regulation of wages and
hours—and incidentally of child la
bor also—the Walsh-Healey bill—
which is not under constitutional at
tack In the courts, is planned by
the administration.
The plan is to reduce the present
exemption under the law from $10,
000 to at most $2,500 and possibly
only $2,000. It is also planned to
add some other restrictions aimed
at preventing the evasion of the
t purpose of the law through present
loopholes.
The law as it stands provides that
no concern can be awarded a gov
ernment contract which does not
comply with certain restrictions as
to hours, wages and conditions of
labor. Broadly, these restrictions
ar very similar to the provisions of
the old NRA codes. But the law
applies only to contracts amounting
to $10,000 or more.
Lots of bidders have been getting
around it by the simple expedient
of making bids for only a part of
any proposed order—the part never
exceeding $10,000 Government pur
chasing agencies have eagerly aided
in the process of getting around
this law. They were not particu
larly enthusiastic about the law any
how. As a matter of fact, most gov
ernment purchasing agents are far
from liberal; they are just as hard
boiled as any corporation purchas
ing agent.
A good deal of the publicity about
bl« corporations refusing to bid, in
cidentally, has been incorrect, ac
cording to officials of the procure
ment division at the Treasury de
partment. For instance, all the talk
about the navy not being able to
get any bids on copper.
No Bid on Copper
It is perfectly true that the big
copper companies did not bid,
Treasury officials admit. But it is
also true thej would not have bid
even had there been no Walsh-Hea
ley law. There are two answers.
One is that most copper has been
■old for years through agents. This
eliminated the necessity of the big
copper companies maintaining sales
organizations of greater size than
they wished. The other reason is
that most dealers in copper have
been convinced for some time that
the rise in price of copper—still far
below its 1929 level of 18 cents—
had just started. Thus they were
afraid to commit themselves to con
tracts which would bind them to de
liver copper at a price specified
now over a period of time in the fu
ture. The war scare demand in
Europe alone was enough to account
for this, in the opinion of Treasury
officials.
The new twist in the law would
hit a great many little fellows—
chaps who have been buying in
quantities from the big producers
and then retailing their purchases
to the government in less than $10,
000 quantities. They have been
skimming a nice little profit out of
the unwillingness of the big com
panies to subject themselves to the
Walsh-Healey bill.
The profit has been much greater
in some instances than the esti
mated additional cost to the manu
facturers using this intermediary
method of selling their goods to the
government. The reason for this is
that the manufacturers in many in
stances are not convinced that all
the troubles wrapped up in the
Walsh-Healey law would be confined
to the additional cost. In some in
stances no additional cost at all, the
manufacturers concerned assert,
would be involved.
But bidding under the terms of
the law would subject them, they
fear, to all sorts of government
checks—some of them started by
disgruntled employees, some by
discharged employees, but all in all
amounting to a big bundle of trou
ble. So they cheerfully allowed mid
dlemen to skim a little profit rather
than run the risk.
Farmers Scream
What with the flood this year, and
the drouth last year, not to mention
piling up of surpluses in Europe
against the danger of war, it has
been more than two years since
there was any real need for some
artificial method of curtailing crops
in order to keep prices up. But
to hear the farmers scream to the
old AAA offices—now the soil ero
sion offices—one would think that
Old Debbil Overproduction was
right around the corner.
In the nature of things, the farmer
looks ahead. He does not trust the
new soil protecting scheme. Hints
that it is really intended to be a
crop curtailing plan—hints such as
the ruling classifying corn as a soil
depleting crop—do not satisfy him.
He wants something more definite.
He got to understand AAA pretty
well before its demise at the hands
of the Supreme court, and he
liked it.
It was the first time in his recol
lection—or in all the folk-lore he had
learned at his mother’s knee—that
the farmer had ever got something
for nothing—the first time he had
ever done anything except come out
at the little end of the horn in his
dealing with the city folks.
There were some sectional twists
also, as particularly in the South,
where the politicians made much
of the fact that this was the first
time the folks in that region had
gotten anything from the North
since the Civil war.
So, despite Secretary Henry A.
Wallace’s statement a few days ago
that he was temporarily abandon
ing his production control policy,
and his statement over the radio
that it would be "wise for us to pro
duce as abundantly as we can this
year,” there is a drive forming for
a new AAA. Nor is there much en
thusiasm among the farmers, if one
can judge by letters pouring in on
members of the house and senate,
for the ever normal granary plan so
dear to the hearts of President
Roosevelt and Secretary Wallace.
Normal Granary Idea
Many of the letter-writers doubt
that enough wheat or corn or what
not will be bought in by the gov
ernment for this reserve stock to
hold prices at what seems to the
farmers to be a fair level. Some
are even franker. They insist that
when a crop is short and would nor
mally produce high prices, the
farmers ought to get the benefit of
that situation. How else, they de
mand, can they ever have what Is
really a “good year.”
The bald truth is that they want
the government to protect them
against the low prices inevitable
with overproduction, but they do
not want the government to protect
the consumers against the years of
underproduction.
Which is human enough, and no
one can blame them for trying to
have such a plan worked out. But
it is not the President's idea, and it
is not Mr. Wallace's.
The ever normal granary idea fits
in perfectly with many of Mr.
Roosevelt's other economic the
ories. He would like to straighten
out the curves in manufacturing and
trade of all sorts. He would like
to have all years fair years, with
none "good" in the sense of bonan
za, and none "bad.” His tax the
ories are a part of this theory.
Compulsory Arbitration
Congress is not expected to pass
any drastic legislation with respect
to the automobile strike. Most of
its members would not vote, for ex
ample, to legalize a sit-down strike,
and a huge majority could be rolled
up against compulsory arbitration.
There is much to be said in favor
of compulsory arbitration, theoreti
cally. Practically it finds few
friends. In theory it is in the in
terest of the public—in the interest
of all the people as against the very
small minority comprised by the
two sides in most strikes. Assum
ing that a body of judicial charac
ter with intelligence, fairness and
with no leaning either to the side
of labor or capital could be found,
it would seem an ideal solution.
But try to find some labor leader
who is advocating it! If there is
one thing that the Committee for
Industrial Organization and the
American Federation of Labor
agree about, it is that they do not
want compulsory arbitration. There
may be exceptions, which seem to
prove that this is not so, but they
only seem to do so—they are not
actually exceptions at all. The
classic instance, of course, was the
Adamson act of 1916. This was the
so-called eight-hour law, affecting
the four railroad brotherhoods.
This was a decision imposed by
congress, on the surface, but actu
ally it was nothing of the sort. It
was the demands of the brother
hoods incorporated in a law, which
was passed by congress, signed by
the President, and approved in a
five to four decision by the Su
preme court.
The labor officials’ theory is that
it is all right to have the govern
ment intervene on labor’s side, that
it is even all right to have the gov
ernment force the employers in any
given controversy to arbitrate—but
it is distinctly not all right to have
any government agency determine
what the conditions of settlement
are to be. That would impinge too
much on the value of the functions
of the labor leaders themselves. It
might even lead to government su
pervision of the amount of union
dues exacted, or government regu
lation as to how those dues could
be spent!
Not that anyone at the moment
expects any such a move by the
government, but the gentlemen at
the head of the various labor organ
izations have never been accused
of being stupid about the possibili
ties of any given line of govern
mental action, once started. They
are rather keenlj alert to anything
which might later on prove an em
barrassing precedent.
Much discussion right now is go
ing on under cover about the pos
sibilities of the sit-down strike. If
put to a vote in congress tomorrow,
no such legalization would probably
be voted. Senators and representa
tives are just a little shocked at
what some regard as a flagrant vio
lation of property rights. But the
whole thing has not been thought
through, even by the labor leaders.
C Bell Syndicate.—WNU Service.
Hawaii’s Sea-Going
I WM
Shipping Cattle in Hawaii.
THE only sea going cow ponies
in America are believed to
be those used by the ranchers
of Hawaii island, 200 miles
southeast of Honolulu.
With the same ease that ponies
on the western plains handle a
troublesome steer, these island
mounts handle cattle in deep ocean
waters.
The 4,015 square miles comprising
that island contains many cattle
ranches, one of which is rated as
being among the largest in the en
tire United States. On the island
only one harbor has dock facilities
whereby cattle destined for the Hon
olulu market can be loaded direct
ly onto steamers. At all other ports
the cattle must be driven into the
sea, tied to small boats and carried
to the steamer anchored a mile or so
off the shore.
It is this unusual transportation
problem of Hawaiian ranchers that
has brought about the development
of specially trained ponies for ocean
service. The result is a type of
mount as much at home in the boil
ing ocean surf as on the driest part
of the range.
These Ponies Know Their Work.
No horse lover could watc1' these
ponies work without a thrill of ap
preciation for their stamina, train
ing and initiative. The moment a
lariat slips over the neck of a steer,
the pony goes to work. With no ap
parent directions given by the rider,
the horse heads the balking steer
toward the water, gives a quick
last-moment pull to the lariat and
the steer is dragged into the surf.
Nor does the pony stop its efforts
there. Swimming with easy powerful
grace, the pony guides the steer
out into deep water, ranges it along
side the small boat to permit a cow
hand to tie it up. The moment the
steer is securely tied, the pony turns
about, swims back to shore and
stands ready for its next assignment.
Hawaiian cowboys, too, are in a
class by themselves. The late Will
Rogers rode the range with them
during a visit to Hawaii. Will showed
them his bag of rope tricks, each
of which was immediately duplicat
ed by the various native cowpunch
ers. When Will had exhausted his
repertoire, his island friends showed
him an entirely new bog of stunts.
“Boy!” Will remarked, "they told
me Hawaiians were‘great swim
mers but they’re the greatest bunch
of ropers and riders I ever saw.”
Cowboys Won Prizes at Cheyenne.
Will was then told about a bunch
of cowboys from Hawaii who had
read, a few years ago, of the won
derful roping and riding of cowboys
on the western plains. Being anx
ious to see these highly touted
riders, the island boys visited Chey
enne. One look at the riders and
the broncos was all they needed. In
stead of being merely spectators,
they became entrants, pitting their
skill against the men they had come
to watch. When the final events
were over, the Hawaiians who had
come to learn had become teachers.
They had walked off with most of
the major prizes, including a couple
of world championships.
Hawaiian riders and ponies have
to be among the best in America
to fill their difficult jobs. Cattle
ranges run from sea level to the
mountain tops, across great jagged
fields of lava which years ago
poured from the volcanoes, through
dense forests and drouth-stricken
plains where some cattle, it is said,
never have an actual drink of water
but secure the necessary moisture
from the dew on plants.
People in Hawaii have the most
unique rodeos in America when cat
tle are being transferred from shore
to ship. Of course, they don’t call
them rodeos despite the fact they
pack more thrills in a half hour
than the usual rodeo does in its
entire program. They merely call
it a job that has to be done.
WNU Service.
One of the Sea-Going Ponies at Work. This Steer is Going
for a Swim.
Cameroons Fit the Average
Man’s Mental Picture of Africa
The Cameroons, former German
West African territory almost as
large as Germany itself, have been
mentioned in news reports with dis
cussion of the possible return to
Germany of her pre-War African
possessions. The area is now ad
ministered under mandates, the
greater part under French control,
but with a narrow strip of the north
western edge governed by Great
Britain.
“The average man’s mental pic
ture of Africa comes to life in the
Cameroons,” says the National Geo
graphic society. “Spreading fanlike
inland from the sharp angle in Af
rica’s west coast, they have lush
lowland jungles, tangled rain-forest,
cool, high grasslands, pygmies, el
ephants, lions, gorillas, rubber, ivo
ry, and mahogany, and in some
regions the blighting plague of sleep
ing sickness spread by the tsetse
fly.
“Most visitors arrive in the
French portion of the Cameroons
through Douala, low - lying port on
an inlet from the Gulf of Guinea.
Here are attractive homes of the
few European residents, and a
sprawling trading center with native
villages nearby. In the dry season
Douala is hot and breathless, in
the rainy season drenched in an
almost continuous downpour, with
an average rainfall of 13 feet. From
here are shipped a large part of
the Cameroons’ products of rubber,
ivory, ground • nuts, palm oil,
almonds, hides, timber and cacao.
"Once away from the railroads,
t avelers find that bridges are wov
' en of vines in the Cameroons, or one
may cross a river by sitting on
the head of one negro porter with
hands and feet resting on the cra
niums of four others—as long as the
stream is no more than chin-deep.
“Back 01 the hot jungle of the
coastal lowland lies a high and
fertile plateau, covered with grass
or open woods, and boasting a cool
and healthful climate despite its
proximity to the Equator a few
hundred miles to the jouth. Farm
ing is done with hoes only, for plows
and draft animals are still unknown
to Cameroon agricultural practice,
at least in the interior.
"Still farther north is Ngaoundere,
largest all-native city in the Cam
eroons, where the ruling sultan
boasts an orchestra of 100 pieces,
wears robes of white velvet encrust
ed with gold on state occasions, and
has thousands of vassal horsemen
at his command.
“From this city southward, for
500 miles, runs an automobile road
to Yaounde, the seat of government
of the French mandate.
“Driving along this road, a trav
eler may see primitive tribes who
wear no clothes, but he probably
will see no wild animals, though
they are all around him. Lions, leop
ards, hyenas and baboons abound,
but they keep well out of sight.
“South of Yaounde, the Camer
oons are almost all jungle — the
home of gorillas, great herds of
elephants, and little known pygmy !
peoples. Here the natives live on
a plane far below that of their
neighbors on the healthier northern
uplands. This is the region of the
tsetse fly, which harbors sleeping
sickness and spreads the disease by
its bite. Authorities estimate that
this plague has taken a million
lives in the last 50 years. Other
diseases, such as malaria, rickets,
dengue and elephantiasis also are
widespread in the region. The
French authorities have established
hospitals at Ayos, however, and are
making important progress against
the disease with a new medicine.
Tryparsamide.”
Luxury Spread That
Is Yours With Thrift
Pattern 5738
Companion squares in filet cro
chet make the loveliest household
accessories. A square at a time
made in spare moments—time
you’ll never miss—and tefore you
know it you’ll be ready to join
them for a cloth or scarf. As a
bedspread, too, this design will be
a winner. Use string—it’s easy to
work with, inexpensive, lovely
when done, and wears like iron.
If it’s gifts you’re thinking of, use
a finer cotton and make a pillow
top, vanity set or other small ar
ticles that take but a few squares.
In pattern 5738 you will find in
structions and charts for making
the squares shown; an illustration
of them and of the stitches used;
material requirements.
To obtain this pattern send 15
cents in stamps or coins (coins
preferred) to The Sewing Circle
Household Arts Dept., 259 W.
Fourteenth St., New York, N. Y.
Write plainly pattern number,
your name and address.
"Quotations"
It is not possible to conduct a
modern war if the truth, the whole
truth and nothing but the truth is
told.—Sherwood Eddy.
Aviation has brought a revolution
ary change to a world already stag
gering from changes. — Charles A.
Lindbergh.
A great point in acting is the
“listen.” It’s more important some
times *o know how to listen than
how to speak.—Ethel Barrymore.
I5$- Price Now
of Famous
Cold Remedy
1. Take 2 BAYER ASPIRIN (ablets end
drink a full glass of water. Repeat treat
ment in 2 hours.
2. If throat is sore, crush
and stir 3 BAYER ASPIRIN
tablets in glass of
water. Gargle twice. This
eases throat rawness al
most instantly.
t
Genuine Bayer Aspirin the Thing
To Take for Fast Relief
Instead of buying
costly medicines for
a cold, try the way
nearly any doctor
you ask will approve
as the modern way — BAYER
ASPIRIN. It is perhaps the
most famous and most widely
used of all cold remedies today
— yet costs only 15/ for a
dozen tablets or two full dozen
for a quarter anywhere in the
United States. Virtually 1/ a
tablet.
The way you use it is this:
Two BAYER tablets when
you feel a cold coming on. Take
with a full glass of water. Then
repeat, if necessary, according!
to directions in each package.
This will act to fight fever, and
pains which usually accompany
colds. Relief comes rapidly.
Get the genuine BAYER
ASPIRIN by asking for it by
its full name: not by the name
“aspirin” alone.
15c FOR A DOZEN
2 FULL DOZEN FOR 25c
VIRTUALLY lc A TABLET
Read Our Advertisements
Hooray! \
A LETTER ,
FROM SALLY'
HOPE SHE'S
GOING TO /
THE DANCE /
WITH ME > /
OH-oh! she says SHE \
NEVER WANTS TO SEE .
ME AGAIN/ WELL-- f
JUST THE SAME — I'M X
GOING TO HAVE A TALK J
WITH THAT GIRL/
CHAR.es i
.♦! .. .
UNDER
STAND/
WHAT J
HAVE I
DONE?/
/OH, I DON'T KNOW AND X DON'T
[ CARE/MY HEADACHES— AND
V I NEVER SLEEP NIGHTS --
\PLEASE LEAVE ME ALONE]
WELL--IP YOU'D DO AS THE DOCTOR^
SAID YOU WOULDN'T FEEL BAD- J
OR BE SO CROSS AND MEAN
^all -THE time / _
HE SAID COF-FEE •
NERVES CAUSED
YOUR- HEADACHES
AND SLEEPLESSNESS
TOLD you TO QUIT
COFFEE FOR 30 DAYS
AND DRINK POSTUM
INSTEAD. WHY
DON'T
DO IT I
"7. _ __
fCHEESEl
t IT' ^
> GLOOMS
Y WE'RE
^LICKED
30 PAYS LATER. |
SHE'S BEEN A
changed womans
SINCE SHE GOT <
RID OF HER /
HEADACHES <
AND 3
SLEEPLESSNESS^
MeP —SWITCHING TO
>POSTUM SURE DID HER_^
SA WORLD OF OOOD/WJ
/VOU&. MONE^ BACK •**\
' IP SWITCHING TO ROSTUM J
i^DOESN'T HELP YOlJf^^
0*1
If you are one ol those who cannot safely
drink coffee...try Postum’s 30-day test.
Buy a can of Postum and drink it instead of coffee for
one full month.
If...after 30 days...you do not feel better, return
the top of the Postum container to General Foods,
Battle Creek, Michigan, and we will cheerfully refund
Copr. 1937. King Features Syndicate, G. F. Corp. Licensee
the full purchase price, plus postage! (If you live in
Canada, address General Foods, Ltd., Cobourg, Ont.)
Give Postum a fair trial...drink it for the full 30 days!
Postum contains no caffein. It is simply whole wheat
and bran, roasted and slightly sweetened. Postum
comes in two forms... Postum Cereal, the kind you
boil or percolate...and Instant Postum, made instantly
in the cup. It is economical, easy to make and deli
cious. You may miss coffee at first, but after 30 days,
you’ll love Postum for its own rich, full-bodied flavor.
A General Foods product.
_ (This offer expires June 30,1937.)
